William b



. 'B. PURV1S.

ELECTRIC RAILWAY.

(No Model.)

. Patented May 1, 1894.

I ll! WASHINGTON. n. c.

rrnn STATES ATEN'r Frrcn.

WILLIAM B. PURVIS, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO HALSEY J. TIBBALS, OF SAME PLACE. I

ELECTRIC RAILWAY.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N o. 519,291, dated May 1,1894. Application tiled April 14, 1893. `Serial No. 470.290. (No model.)

.To all whom it may concern,.-

Beit known that I, WILLIAM B. PURVIS, a citizen of the United States, residing in the city and county of Philadelphia, `State `of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Electric Railways, which improvement is fully set forth in the followlng specification and accompanying drawings.

My invention consists of means as hereinafter described and claimed for automatically lifting portions of an electric conductor in order that the same may come in contact with sectlons of a conduit containing said conductor, and charge the same, so that the current may be transmitted to amotor on a car or vehicle.

Figure l represents a partial side elevation `and partial longitudinal vertical section of iportions of an electric: railway embodying my invention. Fig. 2 represents a transverse section of ""a portion on line as, Fig. l, on an enlarged scale. nal vertical section of a portion of the conduit. Figs. 4 and 5 represent side elevations of portions of opposite ends of a car, on a Vreduced scale. Fig. 6 represents a transverse vertical section of a modification.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the several figures.l

bear at all times against ametallic tube K,y

in a conduit L, said springs J also permitting the body of the car to raise and lower without affecting said wheels D and E.

M designates brushes journaled on studs N, which are mounted on rods P, the latter being guided inhangers Q, secured to the car. Encircling the rods P are springs R, which cause the brushes M at all times to come in contact `with the tube K, so as to re= "'move from-the same any dirt or obstacle in Fig. 3 represents a longitudif Referring to thel drawings: A designates guided in hangers H, secured to In connection with the rods G, are

the path of said brushes, said springs also permitting the body of the car to raise Vand lower without affecting the brushes M.

S designates abar which is supported on the rods G, and provided with brushes T, which contact with the axles.

U designates an electro magnet suspended lsection is insulated from the other, as at a,

Fig. 3, so that only the section` with which the electric conductor V is incontact will be charged. Y e

' The tube K is lined on the inside and outside with tubes X and Y, which latter are formed of any suitable non-conducting inaterial, and slotted, the former as at Z, and the latter as at A', so as to permit the tube K to be exposed, Where such slots occur, in order that any one section of said tube K may become charged, when the electric conductor V comes in contact with the same.

B designates an electric wire leading from the bar S to the electro magnet U, and from thence t0 the switch board W, and B2 designates an electric wire leading from said switch board to the motor C. .1

O2 designates an` electric wire connected with the wire B', and leading from the same to the .switch board WV', and D? designates an electric wire leading from the switch board W to the motor C.

E2 designates electric wires leading from a battery F2 to the electro magnet U.

In Fig. G, the conduit L is represented as being formed in the rail on'which. the car wheels travel, it being evident that in this case a separate conduit between the rails may be dispensed with.

The operation is as follows: An electric current is passed from any suitable source through the conductor V, whlch 1n lts normal position rests inthe bottom of the con-v duitL. The electro magnet Uis then charged,

by closing the circuit connecting it With the battery F2.

and causes the same to come in contact with the metallic tube K, and charge the latter by closing the circuit connecting it with the battery. When a section is charged, it attracts the conductor V, and causes the same to come in contact with the metallic tube K, and be charged, it being noticed as hereinbefore stated, that the inner tube X, which is of insulating material, is slotted to permit the conductor V t-o come in contact with the tube K. The current in the tube K passes from the same through the wheels D and E to the axles F, and from these latter through the brushes T to the bar S, and from said bar through the wire B into the electro magnet U. The latter is now further charged from the conductor V, and is capable of not only retaining said conductor in contact with the tube K, but also transmitting power to the motor sufficient to propel one or more cars. The current then passes from the magnet U through the wire B to the switchboard W, and when the lever w of the same is so placed as to close the electric circuit, the current from said switch board passes through the wire B2 to the motor C, and the same then becomes operative and propels the car. The current from the motor C passes through the axle c and Wheels A to the rails on which said wheels travel and from thence to the ground.

It is evident that the car may-either be set in motion or stopped by means of the lever w ot' the switch board W. When the switch board W is in use, the lever w of the switch board W is so placed as to break the circuit from the magnet U to the same, so that all of the electricity from said magnet will pass to the motor through the switch board WV. This is the case when the car travels in the direction indicated by the arrow 1, Figui. When however, the car is to travel in a direction opposite to that indicated by said arrow the lever w of the switch board W is so placed as to'break the electric circuit from the magnet U to the same. The lever fw of the switch board W is then placed so as to close the electric circuit from the magnet U to the same, the current in this case passing from said magnet through the wire G2 to the switch board W and from the latter through the wire D2 to the motor C, and from thence through the axle c and wheels A to the rails on which said wheels travel, and finally to the ground.

If desired, a permanent magnet may be employed in lieu of the battery F2 for the purpose hereinbefore explained.

Having thus described my invention, what This attracts the conductor V,

I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. A tube composed of insulated sections, inside and outside tubes formed of non-conducting material and slotted, and a loose electric wire within said inside tube, said parts being combined substantially as described.

2. A car with hangers, axles mounted on rods guided in said hangers, springs in connection with said rods, wheels on said axles,

'a bar supported on said rods and carrying brushes contacting with said axles, and an electro magnet suspended from said bar, said parts being combined substantially as described.

3. A car, the spring-controlled Wheels E and F supported by said car, the cross bar S, the electro magnet U, suspended from said bar, the motor C and the wires B and B2, said parts being combined substantially as described.

4. A car with hangers, a motor on said car, springcontrolled wheels depen ding from said car, an electro magnet suspended from said car, aswitch board and wires substantially as described connecting said magnet, motor and switch board, said parts being combined substantially as described.

5. A car provided with the motor C, the switch board W, the bar S, the magnet U, the wire B leading from the bar S to the magnet and switch board W, the wire B2 leading from said switch board to said motor, and the wire E2 leading from abattery to said magnet, sub stantially as described.

6. A car provided with the motor C, the switch board W', the wire C2, the wire B connected with said wire C2 and the wire D2 leading from said switch board to said motor, a magnet, wheels on said cars, a bar connected withthe bearings of said wheels, and brushes on said bearings, in combination with a conduit having a tube with which said wheels are in contact, and a raising and lowering electric conductor in said tube, substantially as described.

7. A car provided with the Wheels D, E, the bar S connecting the bearings of said Wheels,

the brushes T on said bar, contacting with the studs F of said bearings, the wire B', a magnet which is connected with said wire and said bar, and a motor in combination with a conduit tube and an electric conductor therein, said tube being exposed to said Wheels D and E, substantially as described.

WILLIAM B. PURVIS. Witnesses:

JOHN A. WIEDERSHEIM, R. I-I. GRAESER.

tog 

